Sherry Yard's Fig Bars

I normally am not a fussy-cookie kind of girl. I like them plain and simple, dropped from the edge of a spoon. A bit of vanilla extract here, or a few good chunks of chocolate there, a sparkle from buckwheat flour or a nubby bit of ginger, and that's all. The crunchier the better, since those kinds are best dipped in tea, but I'm democratic: I'll eat them even if they're soft and chewy. I guess the only requirement I have is that they be easy to make. I spent one evening before Christmas years ago awake all night dealing with the nightmare that is the production of Zimtsterne and while I love those little things with a hot, burning passion, I will never make them again. Uh-uh, life's too short.

So while the idea of homemade fig newtons always appealed to me, the reality of all that cooking and processing and rolling and filling seemed like far too much work for such a layabout like me.

And then. (There's always that, isn't there?)

I had express instructions to myself to do nothing - but nothing - this past weekend. To stay home, keeping the kitchen warm, detaching from every single possible thing outside the confines of the four walls of my apartment. But you know, five hours of cooking meat sauce only takes you so far. Plus, I happened to have all the requirements for a homemade fig newton in the house already, meaning I wouldn't have to leave the house for a single thing. (I told you I was lazy.) And then I considered the fact that, since I refuse to eat commercial fig newtons anymore, I haven't had one since my freshman year in college. Which is far, far too long to have gone without a fig bar, wouldn't you say?

I'd even argue that the fig-filled cookie is one of America's greatest contributions to the cookie lexicon. (Or perhaps the derivative hermit.) Along with the graham cracker and the chocolate chip cookie, of course. Am I leaving something out?

Anyway, all of this to say that, yes, fig bars are more work than a simple drop cookie. But they are also worth that work if you have an afternoon to spare, one in which the skies darken prematurely - requiring cuddles and cookies to keep you warm. (I happen to think fig bars are paired best with a glass of cold, cold milk. Biscotti can have their hot tea. Newtons need their milk.) Plus, while they are more work, they are not necessarily harder work, which can be an important differentiation.

The vanilla-speckled dough (so, so pretty) is flecked with little shreds of orange peel and the luscious fig filling (of which, luckily, there is too much, so you can eat it for breakfast on toast or stirred into yogurt all week long) is crunchy and aromatic and just exactly what you'd imagine a homemade fig newton to be filled with.

If it at all possible, and I know that it might not be, try to resist eating all the newtons at once. Because kept overnight, they sort of transmogrify into an even better version of themselves - the cookie softens somewhat, the filling squidges just so. The different parts of their anatomy all sort of coalesce perfectly in the night, leaving you with the best newton you ever ate - yielding, fragrant, simple, delicious.

You might find yourself converted then, as fussy-cookie-loving a girl as they come.

Fig Bars
Makes 40 (1-inch) cookies

This recipe makes more fig purée than is needed for the cookies; the extra can be spread on toast and will keep for 1 week refrigerated.

1 cup (12 ounces) finely chopped dried Black Mission figs, packed
1 cup apple juice
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/8 plus  1/2  teaspoon grated orange zest, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 large egg white
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped figs, 1 1/2 cups of water, apple juice and one-fourth cup of sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, until the figs are so soft that they're spreadable. Transfer to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add one-eighth teaspoon orange zest and process until smooth. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

2. While the figs are cooking, cream together the butter, remaining one-half cup sugar and one-half teaspoon orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) for 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and paddle or beaters. Add the egg white, vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract and beat in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a flat rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Place racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Unwrap the dough and center it on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper measuring 12 inches by 16 inches. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and place a large piece of plastic wrap over the dough to prevent it from sticking while it is rolled out. Roll out the dough to the dimensions of the parchment; it will be less than one-eighth-inch thick.

5. Cut the dough lengthwise into four (12-by-4-inch) strips. Spoon a line of filling down the center of each strip, leaving one-half-inch of room on either side. To roll the dough over the filling: Gently lift the long edge of the parchment under the first strip and roll it, along with the dough, over the filling, carefully peeling the parchment away as you go. You should have a sort of log-shaped roll. Because the dough is thin, it may crack; if this happens, allow the dough to sit so it warms a little, then try again, being gentle and using the parchment under the dough to force it to fold over. When the roll is complete, gently slide a flat cookie sheet under the log and transfer it to the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Pinch the ends of the log closed. Repeat with the three remaining strips, placing 2 logs lengthwise per cookie sheet.

6. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into 10 cookies. Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through, for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. The bars will keep, stored airtight, for 2 days.

Comments

[David]

I love Sherry Yard...and fig bars, too!

[Leah]

Oooh. And here I was all irritated about the impending rainy weekend. Perhaps a blessing in disguise!

[Mandy]

your fig bars look good and really give the commercial one a run for their money!

[Mary Coleman]

Oh dear..
more baking to do and dough to eat. i'm not sure i would have enough fig puree to make the cookies once i got through nibbling.

[Dana]

I've been dying to make these ever since I bought her book! Hmmm...project for an upcoming weekend...

[Julie]

Homemade Fig Newtons? Yum! I always love a baking story with a happy ending.

[Abby]

I, too, have a soft spot for fig bars. I don't quite love the crumbly texture of the cookie part in the commercial kind, however, and have always wanted to make my own and see if I could improve upon this.

You beat me to it! They look perfect.

[Gretchen Noelle]

Oh how I would love to try this! Would it work with fresh figs? Is there a way to dry fresh figs? I haven't had fig newtons in *years* but would love one today after seeing this!

[Grant]

I have some dried figs that I was trying to figure out what to do with. I wanted to make fig jam but couldn't find a recipe I liked. This sounds perfect. I love home made fig bars. Thanks!

[Luisa]

Gretchen - I don't know, but fresh figs are juicy and have more moisture, which would likely lead to a soggy cookie. Besides, if you're lucky enough to have fresh figs, aren't you eating them all raw, out of hand, by the pound? :)

[Christine]

Whoa, these look amazing. My mom makes a hard Italian Christmas cookie with her regular hard ol' cookie dough and a fig filling. They're delicious, but crunchy...and not what you want when you think of fig newtons. This? is just what the doctor ordered. I will let you know though, that I am a lazy baker. I'll probably just give the recipe to my mom and hope she'll make them for me.

[stephanie]

It's funny that you mention fig bars. These look so good but where were you last weekend?!

[Mercedes]

Um yes, I always want to try my hand at doing everything homemade (marshmallows! baguettes! graham crackers! yogurt!) It's always so interesting to find out what's worth it, and I'm glad these were.

[Sarah C.]

I am currently eating a fig newton...one from the yellow packaging. I have wanted to make a homemade version because I dont think they put nearly enough filling in the store bought versions. Yours look perfect. I am saving this for next time I bake. Thank you!

[amanda]

these look so much better than the store ones! nice job. I love spending weekends holed up baking and cooking. very relaxing.

[Maddy Bray]

Yum! I tried to make homemade fig newtons once, but these look a lot better than what I ended up with. I'll have to try this recipe.

[lobstersquad]

interesting. never had a proper fig newton, of course, so I can´t judge results. but I have been wanting to make deborah maddison´s raisin bars from "the savoury way" for a long time, and they sound very similar. cool stuff

[aforkfulofspaghetti]

Oh wow... I haven't had these in years - and it never occurred to me to try making them! I'll be printing this recipe out and keeping it, for sure.

[Lia]

Ohh, I'm going to have to try this one. I love fig newtons but have also steered clear the last few years since commercial ones are so scary as you said. Nice to know I can now have homemade ones! Where's this recipe from, and have you ever tried making homemade graham crackers? I love those too but haven't found any that don't have hydrogenated oil or other freaky ingredients.

[Luisa]

Christine - Oooh, I have a friend who makes those hard fig cookies for Christmas (she has the recipe from her Sicilian grandparents or something) and they are lovely. Lucky you.

Mercedes - I have had miserable luck with homemade marshmallows, but yogurt and fig newtons? Ahoy!

Ximena - yeah, these are totally typical American cookies, and so so lovely. Definitely try them. Deborah's raisin bars sound like they'd certainly be related.

Lia - I haven't ever made homemade graham crackers, but they are on my short list of things to do. In fact, the weekend's just around the corner...maybe this will be my challenge? :) This fig bar recipe is from Sherry Yard's new cookbook - it was reviewed in last Wednesday's LA Times.

[Sarah]

I'm dying to try these! I love that they make whole grain fig newtons now, but those still have loads of high fructose corn syrup & the like. I'd love something simple & preservative-less like this recipe. Can't wait to try them!

[Helen]

I'm right there with you on the zimsterne, and even when I made them, most of them were not stars, but "diamonds" I managed to cut with a knife because the whole cookie cutter thing was just not happening. My mom used to make them (perfect little stars) every year, so she definitely gets the bragging rights. Now I only make them when she tells me how much she misses them (with appropriate puppy-dog-eyes). But man.

These fig bars, on the other hand, look great. I'm a sucker for a good fig newton, but for some reason it never occurred to me to make my own. Now I can take over the world. (Yes. With fig bars.)

[Dara]

Yum!

Regarding fresh figs, if you are lucky enough to have a surfeit, they are easy to dry yourself. I usually just leave them in a very low oven (if you have a warm pilot light, that might be enough even; it is for me) until they are appropriately shriveled and look like they will not mold when stored. Along the way, some of them invariably will get a little moldy; just chuck 'em. Once they're dry, seal in a baggy. You could store in the fridge for extra safe-keeping.

I was lucky enough to pick more Mission figs than I could eat last September and just used some of the ones I dried then recently. They are fabulous! One trick is to go around the fig tree looking for ones that are already starting to dry and shrivel on the tree--those are the BEST, with super-concentrated flavor and chewy texture.

[superluckykitchen]

i just posted this recipe on my blog as well! these cookies are amazing! the first thing i made from sherrys book, absolutely not the last. that upside-down cheesecake flan is calling my name...

[beth lee]

I made these yesterday. They were proclaimed to be the "best fig bars ever" by my family. There were only 3 left this morning. Mine were not as pretty, the figs oozed out of the dough, but no one complained.

[Jenn Garbee]

Hey Luisa-
Glad you enjoyed. The recipe was a wee bit difficult in the book - didn't work at all, actually. But lots of tinkering and it turned out grand. Wasn't about to give up... once you start on a fig quest, you can't be stopped! Enjoy your blog here in the LA food world, by the way. A pleasure.
Jenn Garbee

[Sharon]

Thank you for this recipe!! I love fig newtons, but hate the "extra" ingredients that I eat. this will be good to try on a rainy afternoon...

[Helen]

I finally made these today. I was planning to take them to a friend's for dinner but they may not make it that far. I didn't have any apple juice, and I wanted them to be kind of lemon-y, so I substituted 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup water for the apple juice, and added lemon zest (instead of orange) to the dough. Yowza.

[Mar]

I'm like you, I'm not a fussy cookie girl. Actually, I avoid the rolling pin when possible because I'm not so good at rolling things to certain shapes.
But you sold the cookies, and I'm glad I tried them. I'm excited about the extra fig spread too!

[Nancy Camann]

My mother made Italain fig cookies, and used too many raisins. Is it o'k to add more figs? She's concerned that they may get moldy. Please answer asap Thanks, Nancy